Automatic vacuum regulator



Jan. 2, 1934- J.H. L IENAU El AL 1,941,479

AUTOMATIC VACUUM REGULATOR Filed Feb. 1. 1933 a I 2a- 22 1e JLZ; m

KQQQ ATTOR Y- Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Neuman, '1

ca, N. Y.

Application February 1, 1933. Serial No.'654,893

'IClaimS.

This invention relates to an automatic vacuum regulator, and has for its primary object and purpose to provide simple and reliably operating apparatus for automatically maintaining a substantially uniform predetermined vacuum in the operation of evaporating-apparatus, such for instance as is used in the refining of raw sugar.

As is well known, in the processing or refining of sugar, it is necessary to boil the raw sugar liquor in vacuum pans, and it is generally desirable to maintain the vacuum in the pan more or less constantly uniform during the evaporation step of the process. Heretofore, this has generally been accomplished through manual control, requiring almost constant attention, and attended by rather poor results.

It is accordingly an important object of the present invention to provide an automatically operating'vacuum regulating or control means whereby this dependence upon manual attention with its accompanying uncertainties in the proper control and regulation of the vacuum is eliminated. r

The invention of the present application is more particularly designed and intended for use in connection with evaporating apparatus of that type, wherein the vacuum is produced by the condensation of the vapors evolved in the boiling of the sugar liquor in the vacuum pan, another important object of the invention being to effect 'a material saving in the use of condensing water.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic apparatus for the above purpose, the use of which will result in the production of a higher standard of quality of the reflned product, and the several cooperating parts of which are of such construction that the improved control means is readily applicable to evaporating apparatus of the kind now in general use without necessitating any appreciable mechanical changes thereof.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved vacuum regulating apparatus, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawing wherein we have illustrated several simple and practical embodiments of the present invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a-semi-diagrammatic view illustrat- 5 ing an electrically operated vacuum control parts means as applied to a-conventional type of evaporating apparatus; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein a fluid pressure actuated control means is employed.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and for the present more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, 5 indicates the conventional type of vacuum pan having a connection 6 at its upper end to the condenser 1, which is supplied with water through 5 the pipe connection 8 in which the water supply regulating valve indicated at 9 is arranged. Thus it will be understood that water supplied to the condenser '7 condenses the vapors rising from the boiling liquor in the vacuum pan 5, the 7 vacuum maintained in said pan being proportionate within certain limits to the quantity of water which is discharged into the condenser while the liquor is boiling. Therefore, it will be evident that by adjusting the valve 9, the degree 7 of vacuum maintained in the pan 5 will be varied or regulated.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, we have shown an operating means for the valve. 9 consisting of a reversible electric motor 10 operatively connected through suitable reduction gearingto the endless chain 11, engaged with the sprocket 12 fixed to the shaft or spindle of valve 9.

The operation of the motor 8 in the proper direction is controlled through the control panel 5 indicated at 13, to which current is supplied through the connections 14 from any convenient source of current.

A vacuum gauge shown at 15 is connected with the pan 5, said gauge having the indicator hand 16 responsive to variations in the vacuum and which is actuated by a Bourdon tube or other suitable means. The relatively stationary hand 1'7- of the gauge is manually adjustable with respect to the gauge scale and may be set in accordance with the desired predetermined vacuum to be maintained in the pan 5. These gauge hands are suitably insulated from each other, and provided at their outer ends with circuit closing contacts. In the circuit connections 18 between the gauge hands and the control board 13, a suitable type of reversing switch mechanism 19 is interposed and may be adjusted by the hand wheel 20 for either manual or automatic Operation. Since the details of this switch mechanism constitute no essential part of our present invention, it is not herein further described. Also, the details of the control board 13, are not essential to a. clear understanding of the present invention, and it is apparent that various means 1 normally hold the valve in a closed position.

' j valve 9 to its open and closed positions.

might be employed for closing the circuit of motor. 10 in one direction when the contacts of the gauge hands 16 and 17 come into engagement with each other and for closing said circuit in the opposite direction when said contacts separate from each other.

In the operation of the evaporating apparatus, the vapors rising from the vacuum pan 5 are condensed by the cooling water supplied to condenser 7, and when this vacuum reaches the predetermined point for which the gauge hand 17 has been set, the contact thereof is engaged by the contact of the gauge hand 16 to close the circuit of motor 10 and move the chain 11 in the proper direction to move the valve 9 towards its closed position, and thus reduce the flow of cooling water to the condenser. Thereupon the vacuum in the pan 5 is reduced, causing the contacts to separate and thereupon reverse the motor 10. Thus, the valve 9 continues to move between its full open and closed positions and regulates the flow of cool ing water and thereby maintains a predetermined vacuum within the pan 5, preferably and usually to within one-quarter inch of water pressure and of substantially constant value.

Adjacent to one side of the chain '11,,a double acting switch mechanism indicated at 21 is arranged and is operated by the arm 22 extending in the path of movement of suitable spaced actuating elements 23 applied to the chain 11. In the movement of said chain in one direction, one of the elements 23 actuates arm 22 to open the circuit of motor 10 when the valve 9 is fully closed, while the other of said elements actuates said .arm to open the motor circuit when the valve 9 is fully open. Thus, the movements of the valve by the operation of motor 10 are definitely limited.

An additional limit switch indicated at 24 may also be provided to be actuated by suitable means applied to the chain 11 when it is desired to limit the closing movement of valve 9 at some position 'other' than its fully closed position. These switches 21 and 24 are properly connected with the control board 13, and a manually operable switch 2'5 of any suitable type is provided for the purpose of short-circuiting the switch 24 when it is desired to manually operate thecontrol means.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, we have shown an alternative form of the control device which in certain respects is somewhat simpler than that above described, in that the reversible electric motor with the circuit-reversing switch mechanism therefor is eliminated. Thus, we may provide a suitably mounted cylinder 26 with a piston 27 reciprocating therein and connected to one end of a short length'of a chain or other flexible actuating means 11, which actuates the To the other end of this chain, a suitable weight 28 is attached. A pipe 29 extending from a source of compressed air or other fluid is adapted to be connected to the upper end of the cylinder 26 through the medium of any suitable type of valve such as that shown at 30, which in one position supplies the fluid pressure medium to said cylinder and in another position exhausts the same from the cylinder. As herein shown, this valve is of the rotary type, having an arm 31 to which a contractile spring 32 is attached operating'to This valve arm is also pivotally connected to the core of a solenoid 33, the circuit of which is connected through the switch mechanism 19' fi d control board 13' with the source of current, said circuit being opened and closed by the vacuum gauge similar to that above described. In this case, the circuit of the solenoid 33 is normally closed to connect the fluid pressure supply pipe 29 through the valve with the upper end of cylinder 26, thus forcing the piston 27 downwardly and moving valve 9 to its open position. Asthe vacuum in pan 5 increases to the predetermined value, the circuit closing contact 1 members on the gauge hands are finally brought into engagement with each other, which operates switch mechanism 19' to open the circuit of solenoid 33. When said circuit is thus opened and the solenoid deenergized, spring 32 acts to move the valve 30 to the position illustrated in the drawing, thereby closing the connection between the cylinder 27 and supply pipe 29 and opening communication between the upper end of said cylinder and the atmosphere, so that the air or other pressure medium will be exhausted therefrom as the weight 28 moves downwardly and through the chain 11' operates valve 9 towards its closed position, thereby reducing the supply of cooling water to the condenser. Should the vacuum in the pan 5 again build up to the predetermined maximum before the pressure fluid is completely exhaustedfrom cylinder 26, the gauge contacts will again be brought into engageme'nt with each other to exhaust the air or other fluid from said cylinder. It will, of course, be understood that as soon as the vacuum in the pan is reduced to any appreciable extent below the predetermined maximum, the gauge contacts will be disengaged from each other and the circuit of solenoid 32 again closed so that. the supply valve for the cooling water will never move to its fully closed position while the device is in operation. If it is desired to limit the opening movement of valve 9 to a position less than the maximum opening thereof, the limit switch 24 similar to that above referred to may be used and connected in the circuit of solenoid 33;

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction and manner of operation of the several illustrated embodiments of the device will be readily understood. It will be seen that in both of the described constructions, the device will operate in a very positive and reliable manner to automatically control or regulate the vacuum, eliminating the necessity of frequent manual attention for this purpose, with a corresponding saving of labor and a higher standard of quality production in the product, due to maintenance of a constantly uniform vacuum. Also, it will be evident that such a device will effect a desirable economy in the use of water in the operation of the condenser. We have herein illustrated and described several simple and practical embodiments of our present improvements, nevertheless, it is to be understood that in so far as the essential features thereof are concerned, the device may also be produced in various other alternative structural forms, and we accordingly reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly incorporated within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. I

We claim:

1. An automatic regulator for vacuum productions, and adjustable means directly influenced by the vacuum governing the current supply to said electrically controlled means to thereby variably position said valve and maintain a preing said valve to its open and closed positions,

and a gauge directly responsive to the vacuum and'having cpntact'means governing the supply of current to said electrically controlled means to operate the valve and thereby maintain a vacuum of substantially constant value.

3. An automatic regulator for vacuum producing condensers comprising a rotary valve controlling the supply of cooling water to the condenser, means for positioning said valve to regulate the continuous flow of cooling water to the condenser including a reversible electric motor, and means comprising a gauge directly responsive to the vacuum and having contact means governing the supply of current to said motor to thereby adjust said valve between its open and closed positions and regulate the continuous flow of cooling water to the condenser in accordance with the predetermined vacuum value to be maintained.

4. An automatic regulator for vacuum producing condensers comprising a valve controlling the supply of cooling water to the condenser, means for positioning said valve to regulate the continuous flow of cooling water to the condenser including a reversible electric motor, means comprising a gauge directly responsive to the vacuum and having contact means governing the supply of current to said motor to thereby position said valve and regulate the continuous flow of cooling water to the condenser in accordance with.the predetermined vacuum value to be maintained, and additional switch means actuated by a part of the valve operating means to open'the motor circuitindependently of the vacuum gauge and limit movement of the valve towards its open and closed positions.

5. An automatic regulator for vacuum producing condensers having a water supply control valve, comprising an endless operating chain for said valve, a reversible electric motor geared to said chain, a vacuum gauge connected with the condenser having contact means governing the supply of current to said motor, whereby the valve is positioned to regulate the continuous flow of cooling water to the condenser to maintain a predetermined vacuum in the condenser, and a limit switch operated by the valve actuating chain to open the motor circuit and limit movement of the valve towards its closed position independently or the vacuum gauge.

6. An automatic regulator for vacuum producing condensers having a water supply control valve, comprisinga flexible operating element for said valve, a weight connected therewith to move the said element in one direction and adjust the valve towards its closed position, fluid pressure actuated means connected to said element to move the same in the opposite direction and adjust the valve towards its open position, a vacuum gauge connected to the condenser, a valve controlling the operation of said fluid pressure actuated means, andan electrically controlled means for operating said valve operatively governed by said vacuum gauge, whereby said first named valve is positioned to regulate the continuous flow of cooling water to the condenser to maintain predetermined vacuum in said condenser.

7. An automatic regulator for vacuum-producing condensers comprising a. valve controlling the supply of cooling water to the condenser, means operatively controlled by the vacuum, electrical means connected with the last-named means to transmit its movement, and means moving in consonance with said movement, connected with the valve for moving 'the same in consonance therewith, whereby the flow or cooling water to the condenser is regulated in accordance with the predetermined vacuum value to be maintained.

.JACOB HENRY LIENAU. JACOB JOHN NEUMAN. 

